27 June 2023
The round of storms from this morning that produced damaging winds around the Wichita Metro is long gone. Now attention shifts to the southwest corner of our viewing area for new storm development early this evening. Storms in the northwest are also likely the next several hours.
All forms of severe weather are possible from damaging winds to large hail (may exceed 2″ in diameter) and a tornado or two. The Storm Prediction Center upgraded a small sliver of southern Kansas into northern Oklahoma to a Moderate Risk for severe weather which speaks to the impact this could have on our viewing area.
Two separate Severe Thunderstorm Watches are in effect through early tonight out west. My suspicion is additional watches will be issued farther east into the early overnight. Please be weather aware!
Storms will begin discretely before forming into a powerful line of damaging winds. Winds from 60 to more than 75 MPH are a possibility near and south of Highway 50 across southern Kansas this evening and the early overnight into the northern half of Oklahoma.
This is expected to be in the Wichita area between 9 and 11 PM Tuesday. Power outages are possible along with damage due to fierce winds.
Quick spin-up tornadoes may also form on the leading edge of this damaging line. Storms should exit the KSN viewing area to the southeast by 2 AM Wednesday.
High pressure that has been parked over Texas slowly inches our way Wednesday into Thursday. This ups the heat and allows afternoon highs in the triple digits to take over for much of the region.
That said, the northwest corner will be spared from this intense heat. Farther east, heat indices will be in the neighborhood of 104° to 108° degrees.
Winds will pick up but offer little relief.
Where this high pressure system is the weakest to the north, disturbances will travel around it, effectively known as the “ring of fire.” This will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms mainly from western Kansas to the Kansas/Nebraska state line Wednesday night and again Thursday evening.
The front looks to hold off until Saturday which could put the far southeast part of our viewing area in the hottest spot before dropping Sunday.
Storm chances will be hit or miss but remain steady throughout the Central Plains into next week. More clouds and more storms will lower our temperature, keeping highs primarily near average for this time of year into Independence Day.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, breezy. 70% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 73 Wind: SE 10-20
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy, breezy. Hi: 103 Wind: S/SW 10-20
Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 75 Wind: SW/NW 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Thu: Hi: 102 Lo: 76 Partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Fri: Hi: 100 Lo: 72 Partly cloudy, breezy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Sat: Hi: 92 Lo: 68 Partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 89 Lo: 70 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 92 Lo: 72 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 94 Lo: 72 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
–Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman